Sara Foley

Sara Foley, co-owner of Maui Communicators Public Relations with husband Norm Bezane, formed the PRSA Hawaii Chapter's Maui Affinity Group in 2006 to provide professional development and networking opportunities for more 50 public relations practitioners island-wide.

Recognized as a top PR professional, Sara is a three-time recipient of PRSA's Silver Anvil Award given for the best public relations programs nationwide. Sara received the 2007 Gregg W. Perry Professional of the Year Award from the Hawaii PRSA Chapter for her professional work and major contributions to the profession over her career. She and her firm have won a Koa Hammer Award of Excellence and an Anvil Award of Excellence bestowed by the Hawaii chapter.

Sara relocated to Hawaii 10 years ago after a distinguished career in Chicago where she directed public relations and advertising for Ameritech, an AT&T subsidiary; headed public relations for Loyola University Chicago and Medical Center as vice-president; led public relations and marketing for the American Dietetic Association; and directed the change communication program for the corporate and financial practice of Burson-Marsteller public relations, the largest PR firm in the world.

In Hawaii, she has served corporate, government and non-profit organizations including Maui County (for the award winning Maui County Fine and Fresh Program to promote local agriculture); the West Maui Hospital and Medical Center (through message development, community outreach, and the Certificate of Need process resulting in the first approval for a new hospital to be built in the state in 10 years).

Other noteworthy clients include Lahaina Galleries, Hawaii's premier Fine Art Gallery, with locations on the islands and the mainland; Taste of Lahaina and Best of Island Music (a food and entertainment event attracting more than 10,000 people); Maui Chefs Present, a premier culinary event; Keep Hawaii Beautiful, a business-government partnership to improve the environment; and Women Helping Women which helps victims of domestic violence.

Maui Communicators specializes in media relations and programs requiring the strategic application of a full breath of public relations tools including issue management, community outreach, message development and the creation of a variety of communication materials to carry messages successfully: fact sheets, web sites, brochures, press releases and advertisements.

Sara is a director of PRSA Hawaii, a member of the Maui Chamber of Commerce and its Government Action Committee, and a member of the Women Helping Women - West Maui Task Force working to help victims of domestic violence and their children.